Giving Thanks For Everyday American Heroes

Meet 5 who answered the call, and hear what they learned from their acts of kindness and courage

No. 1: Bus driver to the rescue
Richard Lucas stands in front of a burned-out home in Buffalo, N.Y. Lucas was driving a bus in July when he noticed smoke coming from a two-story house, home to two families. Lucas stopped and pounded on the door to wake the families sleeping inside. The families, shown standing on the porch of their former home, credit him with saving their lives. They are Shannon Reiter, Alysa Huertas, 13, Hanna Huertas, 10, Briana Huertas, 8, Emily Hunter, RosaLynda Baez, 11, MarcoAntonio Baez, 9, and Emiliana Baez, 5.

 Richard Lucas, 45, receives letters from the two families he rescued from the house blaze. "Everytime I drive by the house, I think about what would have happened had I not stopped," Lucas says.

 Fire victims extend their gratitude to Lucas, who reads letters from one of the children he saved from the burning home. Authorities still do not know what caused the blaze

No. 2: Good Samaritan

Victor Perez chased down a suspected kidnapper in his truck, shown here in Fresno, Calif. His actions are credited with freeing an abducted 8-year-old girl.

No. 3: Hero tot

Jaden Bolli is credited with saving the life of his grandmother, Patricia Bolli, who is holding him at her home in Maple Shade, N.J. Bolli had a seizure and Jaden, then 3, helped her by calling 911

No. 4: 'Amazing woman'

After seeing his plea for a kidney donation on Facebook, April Capone Almon donated her organ to Carlos Sanchez. They have formed a close friendship because of it and are seen here catching up near the East Haven Town Hall in East Haven, Conn., where Almon is mayor. "She is an amazing woman," Sanchez says

No. 5: 'Lucky'

Christa Brelsford, 25, was volunteering in a literacy program in Haiti when the January earthquake hit. She was pinned by falling rubble until several Haitians, including Wenson George, 19, helped rescue her. Brelsford, who ended up having her right leg amputated below the knee, is committed to giving back to the Haitian community. "I was lucky," she says. Now, her family is planning to bring George to Anchorage so he can attend high school.